What kind of cucumbers are best for salad?

Persian cucumbers are better than English (hothouse) cucumbers for salad, as they are more narrow, have a thin skin and fewer seeds.

How long does cucumber salad last?

This Sesame Cucumber Salad will last four to five days in a covered container in the refrigerator. Keep in mind that the salt in the recipe will continue to pull water from the cucumbers over time, so I recommend storing the sauce separately and draining the cucumbers before serving if needed.

Crisp Sesame Cucumber Salad Recipe

Description

This Sesame Cucumber Salad is the perfect no-cook side dish for any summer meals! Refreshing to eat and full of toasted sesame flavor, this simple side is ready in minutes and looks beautiful on any table. Easily vegan and gluten-free!

Ingredients

Units Scale

For salad:

1/2 red onion, sliced thinly
4 Persian cucumbers
1/2 tsp salt
2 tsp sumac (or sub lemon zest)
3 TBS lemon juice
1/2 tsp pepper
1 seeded jalapeño, sliced thinly (optional)
1 cup mixed tender herbs (like cilantro and mint), roughly chopped
Sesame seeds, to garnish

For sauce:

2 TBS tahini paste, runny
1/4 cup non-dairy yogurt
Juice from 1/2 lemon (2–3 TBS)
2 tsp olive oil
A few pinches of salt and pepper

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Instructions

Place the sliced red onion in a small bowl of water, which will help mellow the sharpness. Set aside.
Slice cucumber into thin rounds and add to a large bowl. If you’d like to make spiraled cucumbers, see instructions in notes below. Add salt, stir, and let sit for 10 minutes – this will draw out some of the liquid which helps to avoid an overly watery end result.
Drain off water and sprinkle cucumbers with sumac and pepper. Stir to combine. Add lemon juice and sliced jalapeño, if using.
Drain red onion and add to cucumber mixture. Add fresh herbs and mix.
Mix tahini, yogurt, lemon juice, olive oil, and salt and pepper in a small cup. Combine until smooth.
To serve, spread tahini sauce into a shallow bowl or plate and spoon salad onto it. Sprinkle with sesame seeds, to garnish.

Notes

For cucumber spirals: Place a thin Persian cucumber horizontally between two chopsticks (this will help prevent slicing all the way through. Starting at on site, slice your knife perpendicularly (at a 90 degree angle) along the cucumber at 1/4 inch intervals, almost all the way down. Once you get all the way across, flip the cucumber over to the uncut side and repeat the slicing process, but cut at a 45 degree angle instead of perpendicularly.

Prep Time: 10 minutes
Cook Time: 0 minutes
Category: Salad
Method: Slicing
Cuisine: American

Nutrition

Serving Size: One fourth of recipe
Calories: 130 calories
Sugar: 2.7 grams
Sodium: 411 milligrams
Fat: 10.1 grams
Saturated Fat: 1.5 grams
Unsaturated Fat: 8.6 grams
Trans Fat: 0 grams
Carbohydrates: 8.9 grams
Fiber: 3.7 grams
Protein: 3.6 grams
Cholesterol: 0 milligrams